Monthly Archives: April 2016

The world has been watching Carly Fleischmann, and her viewers have just increased by becoming the first nonverbal, autistic talk show host. Carly speaks through her I-pad and communicates with others with the help of technology. After many hours spent with her therapists and supportive family growing up, Carly has found a way to communicate with the world.

Her first interview —with the famous Channing Tatum —-gave viewers a good laugh as she asked questions that could make some feel uncomfortable. Her sense of humor, love, and youthful energy comes alive through the interview. I am excited to see the other guests she invites to her show in the future.

For now, be sure to watch Speechless –the newest talk show featuring the one and only –Carly Fleischmann!

Applied behavior analysis is a field that works with individuals to determine the function of behavior as well as environmental reinforcers that encourage or discourage the likelihood of individuals displaying target behaviors.

What is a target behavior?

A target behavior is any behavior that is being addressed or talked about by a professional, parent, or client.

What is a problem behavior?

A problem behavior is an action or verbal statement that is deemed inappropriate.

Why do people engage in problem behavior?

According to the field, there are four functions (or reasons) individuals engage in any behavior: attention seeking, access to a tangible (item), sensory stimulation (produces a good feeling), or avoidance (of a task, person, or environment). In short, individuals engage in multiple behavior to get what they want or don’t want.

What is a replacement behavior?

A replacement behavior is an agreed upon appropriate behavior that serves the same function as the problem behavior displayed by the individual. A replacement behavior must be: developmentally appropriate, context appropriate, and provide the same access to the desired function of the behavior. Essentially, it replaces the problem behavior in exchange for a more appropriate behavior.

What is the ABC approach to understanding behavior?

When a behavior takes place, professionals consider what takes place before the behavior occurred (the antecedent) and what takes place after the behavior occurred (the consequence). The ABC approach allows analyst to track behavior for patterns, trends, and other factors that may provide insight on why an individual is behaving in a certain way. An example of a familiar chart using the ABC approach is below.

***all scenarios are made up

Why is ABA helpful?

Behavior analysts can help individuals adapt to their environment as well as train care givers various effective ways to prevent and react to problem behaviors displayed by an individual. It also can help individuals achieve personal goals and shape their behavior in a way that is beneficial. ABA is used in public and private schools, hospitals, group homes, mental care facilities, rehab centers, self-help institutes, and specialized disability learning centers.

The Argonault Power Wheelchair is an amazing idea that can change the lives of those with disabilities. As technology constantly evolves the way we live and function, this power wheelchair can help make the lives of those with limited mobility more accessible. In particular, I love how this design showcases the independence of those using a wheelchair. For example, when the individual uses the wheelchair after laying down in his bed and then entering into his car. In my opinion, this is one of the coolest ideas I have come across in a while. I truly hope this becomes a reality one day.

A new movie showing a realistic depiction of what it is like to raise a child with autism is coming soon to theaters. Jack of the Red Hearts by Janet Grillo is being praised for showing both the challenges and joys of having a child with autism. Criticizing the films that solely depict autism children as savants, Grillo brings an honest picture which captivates children who are non-verbal and more dependent.

Social skills do not come naturally to most individuals on the autism spectrum. Many individuals with autism are categorized by their difficulties with language and peer interactions. Since individuals with autism need to be explicitly taught social skills that come naturally to others, it is important for professionals and families to consider the elements of social cognition when developing effective social skills programs for individuals with autism of all ages.

Social cognition includes components that include but are not limited to: initiating communication, listening actively with eyes and brain, abstract and inferential thinking, understanding perspectives, getting the gist, humor and human relatedness. These elements affect social and academic growth since most people with social cognitive delays experience difficulties with auditory comprehension. Since listening requires an individual to make sense of the information, many individuals with autism have a hard time integrating the information being said. In addition, most individuals with autism take what is being said literally, when in reality, much of language is meant to be interpreted beyond its literal meaning. The intended meaning can be too abstract for an individual with autism to initially understand.

Social thinking, in addition, depends on people considering the thoughts, emotions, beliefs, motives, intentions, and personalities of others. This can be very difficult for a person with autism since many individuals struggle understanding the perspective of others. This can cause problems in and out of the classroom since individuals may misread the intentions of others, which then causes them to respond in a way that was not expected by the original speaker. Individuals with autism may not know if someone is joking, making fun of them, or is trying to get them to laugh. Failure to see the bigger picture and to understand the intentions of another can cause an individual with autism to misread the situation and intention of the conversation. While we do know that individuals with autism can have a sense of humor, it may be expressed differently than their peers which can create a sense of isolation and loneliness that can develop into depression later on it life.

The ILAUGH model of social cognition was created to address the growing social needs of individuals with autism and to create an acronym that easily identified the elements listed above (initiations, listening, abstract thinking, understanding perspective, getting the gist, and humor/human relatedness). It was created since researchers found that as individuals with autism aged, they experienced difficulty to “think with their eyes”. This resulted in poor listening skills and difficulties in taking the perspective of others. Because of this, a lot of individuals with autism have a hard time understanding abstract information, making relevant inferences, finding the main idea, and problems summarizing. These deficients create problems socially and academically.

Some interventions that can address these difficulties include the use of: social stories, comic strip conversations, social behavior mapping, the incredible 5 point scale (to help students identify their anxiety), and understanding the zones of regulation. By incorporating social skills into the general curriculum, these skills can be reinforced through the student’s core content areas.

The ILAUGH model explains what social cognitive functioning is and how it impacts individuals with autism socially and academically. Realizing that social skills span and develop across a life time, it is essential for professionals and parents to understand the special attention needed to address various social learning weaknesses. Classroom curricula should address these needs as teachers engage in meaningful relationship with their students. Through this relationship and special attention to teaching social skills, individuals with autism may increase in their ability to relate to others over time.